Nashville, TN Noise Ordinances: Quiet Hours (2026)
Quiet hours in Nashville, TN, also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time, define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Standard limit
- 70 Db(A) at residential wall
- DTC/CF district limit
- 85 Db(A)
- Applies to
- Business/commercial activity, not residents
- Enforced by
- Metro Police, Codes, NDOT
Summary
Metro Nashville bars business and commercial noise above 70 Db(A) near homes between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., with a relaxed 85 Db(A) limit inside downtown DTC/CF zoning districts.
No person or persons owning, operating, or having the care, custody, or control of any business or commercial facility shall be permitted to operate any equipment, vehicles, or heavy machinery ... or engage in any other business or commercial activity between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. which would emit ... any noise in excess of 70 Db(A) as measured ... within a residential zoning district affected by the noise ... at a height of four feet above the immediate surrounding surface.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53 | Charter: Republication 9).
Full Breakdown
Under Metropolitan Code § 9.20.040, businesses and commercial facilities citywide (the General Services District) may not run equipment, vehicles, heavy machinery, or other commercial activity between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. if it emits noise above 70 Db(A) measured at the outside wall of an affected residential structure in a residential zoning district. Inside the DTC and contiguous CF zoning districts, the nighttime cap is raised to 85 Db(A). Emergency vehicles, Metro-owned and utility vehicles, and permitted public activities are exempt.
Violations & Fines
No fixed fine is set in this section; Metro Police, Metro Codes Administration, and NDOT enforce Title 9 noise violations, and penalties are set under the general Title 9 enforcement and penalty provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Nashville's noise curfew apply to loud parties at home?
Is the nighttime noise limit the same downtown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashville
How Nashville compares: Cities with the Strictest Noise Ordinances·Compare Nashville to another location·View the Tennessee noise ordinances overview
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